Ernie Banks vs Ted Simmons: Career Stats Comparison
Ernie Banks has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Ernie Banks played 1953–1971 as a hitter; Ted Simmons played 1968–1988 as a hitter.
- AVG (Batting Average):
- Hits divided by at bats. .300 is the traditional mark of an excellent hitter.
- HR (Home Runs):
- Hits on which the batter circled the bases and scored, almost always by clearing the outfield fence.
- RBI (Runs Batted In):
- Runs that scored as a direct result of a batter's plate appearance.
- OPS (On-Base Plus Slugging):
- On-base percentage plus slugging percentage, the quickest single summary of offensive value. .900 or better is star-level.
Data updated
Ernie Banks (1953–1971) and Ted Simmons (1968–1988) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Ernie Banks finished with 2,583 hits and 512 home runs; Ted Simmons finished with 2,472 hits and 248 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Ernie Banks, with 512 to Ted Simmons's 248.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ernie Banks, with .830 to Ted Simmons's .785.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ted Simmons, with .285 to Ernie Banks's .274.
- Who had more hits? Ernie Banks, with 2,583 to Ted Simmons's 2,472.
- Who drove in more runs? Ernie Banks, with 1,636 to Ted Simmons's 1,389.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ernie Banks, with 30,636 career PIV to Ted Simmons's 20,131.
Ernie Banks
Ted Simmons
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ernie Banks and Ted Simmons. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. 14 of the 15 lines below are scored; the other one is a counting total on which fewer is not an achievement, so no one is awarded it. Counting stats reward longevity, and strikeouts are left unmarked because a longer career accumulates more of them. Rate stats are not era-adjusted, and the 1950s and the 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Ernie Banks | Ted Simmons |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,528 | 2,456 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,421 | 8,680 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,305 | 1,074 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,583 | 2,472 |
| Doubles | 407 | Leads: 483 |
| Triples | Leads: 90 | 47 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 512 | 248 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,636 | 1,389 |
| Walks | 763 | Leads: 855 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,236 | 694 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 50 | 21 |
| Batting Avg | .274 | Leads: .285 |
| On-Base % | .330 | Leads: .348 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .500 | .437 |
| OPS | Leads: .830 | .785 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ernie Banks outpaces Ted Simmons 30,636 to 20,131 — driven by per-season impact — 1,612 PIV per season to 959 — rather than by longevity, since Ernie Banks played 19 seasons to Ted Simmons's 21. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
PIV is computed through the 2025 season. The career totals on this page include 2026 to date, so PIV does not yet reflect the 2026 season.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by OPS among qualified workloads (300+ at-bats).
Ernie Banks — top 3 seasons by OPS
Ted Simmons — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ernie Banks leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Ted Simmons owns batting average and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Ernie Banks. PIV agrees: Ernie Banks grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Ernie Banks and Ted Simmons careers compare
The careers of Ernie Banks (1953–1971) and Ted Simmons (1968–1988) overlapped from 1968 to 1971, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 2,528 games against 2,456 across 19 and 21 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Ted Simmons's edges on the table are doubles (483 to 407), walks (855 to 763), and batting average (.285 to .274). At the plate, Ernie Banks struck out more than walked (1,236 to 763), while Ted Simmons walked more often than struck out (855 walks, 694 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Ernie Banks's hits: 512 of 2,583 for Ernie Banks, 248 of 2,472 for Ted Simmons.
Ernie Banks vs Ted Simmons: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ernie Banks or Ted Simmons?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ernie Banks leads Ted Simmons in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Ernie Banks or Ted Simmons hit more home runs?
- Ernie Banks, with 512 to Ted Simmons's 248.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ernie Banks, with .830 to Ted Simmons's .785.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ted Simmons, with .285 to Ernie Banks's .274.
- Who had more hits?
- Ernie Banks, with 2,583 to Ted Simmons's 2,472.